Panel-box.



H. J. L. & L. H. FRANK.

PANEL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1912.

1,169,390. Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1-.

WITNESSES:

- I v aid/4.3 i I z Q y ATTORNEY H. J. L. & L. H. FRANK.

PANEL BOX. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, I912.

1,169,390. Patented Ja11.25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INA/ENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRISON J. L. FRANK AND LEON'H. FRANK, 0F WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

PANEL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 25, 1916- Applicationfiled February 20, 1912; Serial No. 678,877.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HARRISON J. L.

.FRANK and LEON H. FRANK, citizens of the switches having operatinghandles that are movable longitudinally in a direction perpendicular tothe panel, the said handles projectlng through the cover to permit ofoperation of the switches from the exterior of the panel box.

- A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting for thecovers of such panel boxes which will permit of their being convenientlyand readily opened or placed at the sides of the boxes withoutdisturbing the switches or detaching the covers from the boxes. a

A still further object is to provide means for locking the switchescontained within the panel boxes in either their open or their closedpositions.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 ofwhich is a face view of a panel box embodying my in-- vention, thecovers thereof being in open position. Fig. 2 is an end and sectionalview of the box of Fig. 1.' Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the box ofFig. 1 showing the switches in side elevation. Fig. 4 is an inside viewof one of the covers of the box, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of oneof the covers.'

The box in connection with which the certain of the bus bars constituteterminal members of switches 5 that serve to connect the same in theproper and desired relations, and that may be of any suitable construetion, though they are preferably of the construction shown, which iscovered in a separate application. Each 'of said switches comprises twoinsulating blocks 6 that carry contact members 7 at their extremities,which members are moved into and out of engagement with the ends of thebus bars constituting the circuit terminals by means of a handle 8 thatis movable longitudinally in a direction perpendicular to the panelboard.

The said switches are also so constructedthat they are caused to movewith a snap action toward both their closed and open positions, such aswitch being set forth in our co-pending application Serial No. 678,878. The switch handles project through apertures in the covers 9 ofthe box to permit of operation of the switches from the exterior of thebox while the covers remain in their closed positions, and the handlesare provided with slots 20 in the portions thereof that are adjacent tothe inner faces of the covers when the switches occupy their open andclosed positions respectively.

In order to insure against unauthorized opening and closing of theswitches, longitudinally movable locking bars 10 are secured to theinner faces of the covers 9 by means of clips or staples 11 and areprovided with apertures or slotsopposite the apertures in the coversthrough which the switch handles also project. Longitudinal movement ofthe locking bars, for the purpose of causing the portions thereofsurrounding. the apertures therein to move into and out of the slots inthe switch handles, may be eflected by rotation of pinions 13, that meshwith racks or teeth 14 upon the edges of the locking bars, and areprovided with stems 15 projecting through the covers and adapted toreceive a removableoperating key 16. Other suitable locking means forthe switches may, of course, be employed instead of that illustratedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

The covers 9 are so mounted and secured to the box itself as to permitof readily opening or swinging the same back for inspection of the panelboard and switches, the said mounting, as here shown, convenientlycomprising a pair of links 18 and 19 to, intermediate points. of thecovers. In opening or swinging back the covers, they are first .movedperpendicularly to the face of the panel box until they have cleared-the ends of the switch handles, and then they are moved to positionscorresponding to that shown in dotted lines in the lower right-handcorner of Fig. 2, these movements being permitted by reason of theemployment of the link-form of mounting. \Vhile the covers arepreferably mounted substantially as shown, it is to be understood thatany mounting which will permit of an initial movement of the covers toclear the switch handles and of then swinging them back out of the wayis within the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. The combination with a panel box, and a cover therefor, of a switchcontained within the box and having a handle that projects through thecover, and a mounting for the cover which permits of moving the same toclear the switch handle and of then moving it to one side while stillsecuring it to the box.

2. The combination with a panel box, and a cover therefor, of a switchcontained with in the box and having a handle that projects through thecover, a mounting for the cover which permits of moving the same toclear the switch handle and of then moving it to one side while stillsecuring it to the box, and means carried by the cover for locking theswitch handlein either its open or closed position.

3. The combination with. a panel box, and

' a switch contained therein having a longitudinally movable operatinghandle, of a cover for the box having an aperture clear the switchhandle and then to move to one side of the box.

4. The combination with a panel box and a switch contained thereinhaving a longitudinally movable operating handle, of a cover for the boxhaving an aperture through which the handle projects when the cover isin closed position, pivotallyconnected links that'are also respectivelypivoted to the box and to the cover, and a device carried by the coverfor locking the switch in either its closed or its open positio n.

5. The combination with a panel box, and a switch contained thereinhaving a longitudinally movable operating handle, the said handle beingprovided with slots corresponding respectively to the open and closedpositions of the switch, of a cover for the box having an aperturethrough which the handle projects when the cover is in closed position,pivotally-connected links that are also respectively pivoted to the boxand to the cover, and a locking device carried by the cover that ismovable into and out of the slots in the switch handle.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 9th dayof February, 1912.

HARRISON J. L. FRANK. LEON H. FRANK.

Witnesses:

FRANK A. MoMAHoN, F. A. HAGEN.

